The machine requires the use of an attachment determined by the type of engine being serviced. Additionally, there are some engines that cannot accept the chemical directly from the machine itself. An apparatus accompanies the machine so that those engines can receive the benefit of the process in another fashion.
This invention relates to a mechanism to clean and decarbonize the air induction and fuel injection systems. It is quick, easy and thorough especially as it relates to both fuel injected and carbureted vehicles and requires no disassembling of the engine.
The process of cleaning fuel injection systems has been around for many years. However, it requires the disassembly of the various engine parts, which is expensive and time consuming. The less complicated alternative to a disassembly is to pour a chemical additive into the fuel tank in the hope that it will clean thoroughly, which it never does, because it never touches the engine""s vital components where carbon builds up.
Automotive emissions are considered a major contributor to air pollution. The cumulative effect of such emissions resulted in significant changes in the automotive manufacturing industry both here and abroad. Such changes have produced vehicles with less toxic emissions than ever before.
Prior to 1963 emission controls did not exist. After that the automotive industry continued year after year to comply with government regulations that were established to eventually completely eliminate all toxic emissions from vehicles. This has essentially been done with the improvement of the fuel injection system.
The evolution of the fuel injection system now present on all modern day vehicles began in 1903 at Kitty Hawk with the first airplane, the xe2x80x9cWright Flyerxe2x80x9d which was equipped with a fuel injection system.
Fuel injection is simply a method of delivering a mixture of fuel and air to the engine""s cylinders. This is the same thing that is done by the carburetor but with a fuel injection system it can be done much more efficiently.
A carburetor is a device that vaporizes and delivers liquid fuel such as gasoline and mixes it with air in the proper ratio for combustion in an internal combustion engine such as engines powered by gasoline.
Gasoline has to be mixed with air in a ratio of between 12:1 and 16:1. Unfortunately, a spread of ratios like that can burn too much fuel if the mixture is too rich, destroy valves and even pistons if it is too lean, and reduce power if the mixture is too far on the other side of the best ratio and create clouds of pollution. In order to get the most horsepower out of the smaller engines, to reduce emissions to an absolute minimum, to get the best mileage per gallon and to keep the engine running at optimum between oil changes and tune ups a ratio of 17.7:1 is required at all speed ranges and throttle openings. It is because of this that the carburetor is inferior to the more sophisticated fuel injection system.
Modern fuel injection utilizes sensors mounted on various parts of the engine. The engine""s computer can determine what fuel/air mixture is required.
The air intake system is simply an air gate that allows the incoming air change to be correctly measured. Therefore, there is no concern about introducing a uniform mixture of gas into the air flow. The fuel is injected into the air mass outside of the intake valve so that the atomization can be controlled precisely, delivery can be timed, and there is no problem with the cylinders furthest from the carburetor being too lean or those closest being too rich. The computer can interpret the temperature of the engine, the mass of air flowing through the intake system, the rpm, how far the throttle is open, the air pressure inside the air intake manifold, the outside air pressure and many other factors which adjust the fuel mixture to meet the requirements of the engine. This occurs over a thousand times per second.
The problems arise as a result of regular day to day driving which creates a buildup of contaminants in the fuel and air intake systems. Once this buildup begins, the residue acts like a magnet attracting more and more contaminants. This buildup can cause various problems with the engine such as rough idling, engine run on, hesitating, surging, stalling, pinging, knocking, misfiring, poor gas mileage, toxic emissions and general bad performance and driveability.
Fuel is introduced through the fuel tank and air enters form the air filter. These elements are required for an engine to operate, however, contaminants begin building up as the engine operates. These are the carbon and combustion deposits that automotive technicians work hard to remove from the upper engine area and finding it difficult-to-impossible to do.
Previously, in order to remove such deposits, mechanics would have to either use chemicals which would only superficially and temporarily clean the engine (U.S. Pat. No. 4,787,348 to Timothy A. Taylor and assigned to Parker Automotive Corporation) or run cleaner through the rail and fuel injections by disabling the electric fuel pump, a process which is time consuming and only cleans the fuel rail, fuel injectors and the intake valves. AS a last resort, mechanics would take the upper engine apart in order to clean the individual parts. This is extremely difficult, very time consuming, and costly.
It was necessary to device a mechanism that would clean the air induction system, fuel system, and catalytic converters where carbon, varnish, dirt and gum build up in the engine and exhaust. The air induction system also must be cleaned in order to achieve the best possible engine performance. This is especially true for multiport systems where the fuel and air enter at different points.
The Engine Enhancer(trademark) machine and chemicals clean these systems and the process requires no dismantling of the engine. Further, the attachments make it possible to perform the process on a wide variety of engines. This is done because a mechanism is used which pressurizes the chemical and results in a very thorough cleaning.
Accordingly, several objects and advantages of this invention are that this invention and process requires no dismantling of the engine. Further the attachments make it possible to perform the process on a wide variety of engines. This is done because a mechanism is used which pressurizes the chemical and results in a very thorough cleaning.
Other objects and advantages include a small and compact tool cabinet which makes it easily transportable. A further object and advantage is that the cabinet has a 9-foot hose which allows the chemical to be remote from the engine being services. Further, the process is easy to perform and successfully removes the contamination.
Additional objects and advantages involve the energy source for the invention, which operates by using pressurized air. Therefore, no electrical connections are necessary.
The regulator, on/off valve and pressure gauge have no chemical traveling through them. This prevents their rapid destruction. Further, this invention has incorporated a sight glass, on/off product control valve, strainer and quick disconnect in order to make it versatile to connect multiple attachments for various types and sizes of engines.
Still further objects and advantages will become apparent from a consideration of the ensuing description and accompanying drawings.